Don't Make These Application Errors
College Admissions Officers' Biggest Pet Peeves
(And How to Avoid Them)
Joey from Think Prep (a perfect score tutor and former admissions officer) shares what really annoys college admissions counselors. Here's what you need to know as you prepare applications.
Don't Be THAT Parent. Stop calling admissions offices 15 times. They'll figure out who you are and who your kid is. Instead, let your student exercise their agency and contact admissions directly. Students should be in the front seat of this process, not parents.
Keep Résumés Short. One page. Maybe two. Students submitting 3-5 page résumés is becoming a trend, but admissions officers hate it. Most schools already have activity lists, so résumés often just repeat the same information. Exception: Some Texas schools want expanded résumés, so research your specific colleges.
Proofread Beyond Spell Check. Grammarly won't catch everything. One student wrote about loving "the Loin King" instead of "The Lion King." Have a trusted person read your entire application. Run it through a plagiarism checker to ensure AI-generated content isn't flagged.
Submit Everything Early. Don't wait until the deadline. Some colleges (particularly HBCUs like Hampton and Howard) want everything—including transcripts and recommendations—by the early action deadline. Most schools give grace periods, but why risk it? Submit 7 days early, then check your portal to verify nothing's missing.
Maximize Your Real Estate. Don't repeat yourself. If you list activities in one section, discuss them in your essay, and your teacher mentions them again, admissions officers see the same information three times. Each component should reveal something new about you.
Ask Smart Questions at College Fairs. Stop asking generic questions: "Do you have a psychology program?" "Is your biology program good?" "How many Black students attend?" These answers are on the website. Ask better questions:
What campus traditions do students love?
What's your favorite spot on campus?
Can you describe the campus culture?
What's a memorable application you've read?
Make your questions less frequent and more insightful.
Avoid Essay Clichés. Common topics aren't automatically bad (sports, injury, volunteer work), but you must show specific, personal growth through deep introspection. Rushed essays on these topics become clichés. Take time to develop meaningful connections.
No Copy-Paste Supplemental Essays. Admissions officers notice. They've seen essays with the wrong school name (UT Austin application mentioning Texas A&M). You can reuse themes, hooks, and some sentences, but each essay must speak specifically to that school's unique opportunities and questions.
Understand Major Requirements BEFORE Applying. Big mistake: Students apply to competitive business programs without realizing they need pre-calculus or calculus. Don't waste applications on programs where you're not admissible. Before applying, check:
Graduation requirements for your intended major
Admission requirements for selected majors (engineering, nursing, business, art/design)
Whether your current coursework makes you competitive
Focus on College Fit, Not Rankings. Don't just apply to the top 20 US News schools. These are the most expensive and selective colleges, and each seeks different types of students. Ignore media stories about kids getting into all eight Ivies. Better approach: Research each college's mission, ethos, and environment. Match your strengths to what they're seeking. Focusing on fit creates a less stressful admissions process and better outcomes.